The present invention relates to surgical instrumentation, and more particularly, but not exclusively relates to instrumentation for retracting and shifting aside soft tissues and vessels for the purpose of approaching the spine from the front to provide an operating area for spinal surgery.
Heretofore, the method employed by surgeons for this purpose consisted in employing "valves," usually three in number, formed by plates having bent lower end portions. These valves are manually inserted by shifting aside the blood vessels, the nerves and the soft tissues by means of their bent end portions which come to bear against the bone surface of the spine.
The valves may be completed by pins which have ends inserted in the spine. The valves can be slid along these pins. Another technique teaches connecting the valves to the edge of the operating table so as to maintain them in the desired position and clear the operating area.
This device is however relatively rudimentary and not fully convenient to use, in particular for maintaining the valves in the desired precise angular orientation. The correct fixing of the valves on the spine is important in that it avoids the risk of the vessels entering the operating area.
Thus, there is a need for improved surgical instrumentation. The present invention meets this need and has other benefits and advantages.